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On Solid Ground – Terra Firma House by Robson Rak
A place where design, materials and nature work eloquently together, Terra Firma House is calm and tranquil, offering an oasis from its inner-city context. As its name – meaning ‘on solid ground’ – suggests, the home provides a grounding experience for all who enter its walls and a refuge where the inhabitants can reconnect with both nature and self.
Robson Rak oversaw the entirely new build on a sought-after block nestled in the inner-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The original residence was a mock Victorian-style house that was demolished, gifting architect Kathryn Robson and interior designer Chris Rak with a blank canvas to craft a new home with the technology and comfort of a contemporary building. “The trees at the back were left, and other than that, it was totally new,” says Kathryn. Having previously worked on a house for the clients, there was a shared vision for the home that ultimately contributed to the cohesive and seamless nature of the project.
The architecture beautifully responds to its urban context, the exterior façade blending into the streetscape in both style and scale. The home is set back from the street, with a single storey at the front and a double storey at the back, and has as a traditional driveway like many other houses on the street. Chris explains, “the scale of the home works with the rhythm of the street, rather than being imposing.” Kathryn adds, “the pitched roof and textural choices also respond to the vernacular of the street, and the scale of the new building is actually lower than the previous existing building.” As a result of being set lower, one feels as though they are tucked away, enabling a peaceful silence in the middle of the city.
Grounded in a commitment to heliotropia, the surrounding landscape becomes part of the home, with natural light and greenery invited into every corner of the interior. The kitchen bench is set off the boundary to allow for a garden bed on the outside wall where plants will grow. There is also a steel wall sculpture that allows foliage to grow throughout, weaving a tapestry of green that separates kitchen and dining spaces. Perhaps most interesting, Chris explains, is “in the kitchen underneath the marble of the island bench that slides out, there is a cover you open up, and a plant is planted into a pot that is also a standstill sink that drains – and it grows up through this sculptural space divider.”
An atrium courtyard space next to the stairs provides yet more greenery, light and ventilation, and a green roof provides experiences of vegetation from every window above. “From everywhere in the hallway and all of the rooms from the first floor, you’re looking down onto the green roof,” explains Kathryn. Further deepening this connection to nature, a cohesive flow extends between the interior and the backyard with tiered garden beds and the continuation of terracotta flooring from inside to out.
A distinctly earthy materiality prevails throughout Terra Firma House, with a focus on raw materials that age gracefully and are effortlessly maintained. Brick walls, solid polished plaster ceilings, terracotta floor tiles, marble benchtops, rich timber furniture and leather upholstery feature throughout. Weathering is part of the home’s appeal – like the way the terracotta floor will become polished over time, reminding the occupants of the years passing by. “There is no maintenance to this house and there are no applied finishes – what you see is what you get,” clarifies Chris. This collection of earthy materials creates a multi-layered, tactile space that reflects the light and underpins a deep connection with nature.
Following a similar pattern, furnishings offer a calming palette, with raw natural timbers, ceramics and a restrained approach. Referencing the landscape, Robson Rak carries through a soothing array of greens and earthy colours. The home is loaded with textures in the furnishings. “To us, these different textures are like nature, which is also what is so calming about the interior design of the home,” comments Chris, who made the robust steel sculptures that also feature throughout the residence.
The overall effect is both calm and tranquil – a home whose peacefulness and natural quality will improve the wellbeing of its occupants. Kathryn explains, “a lot of consideration has gone into the health of the home and its inhabitants through things like light, natural ventilation, airflow and the injection of greenery into the home. We have really tried to create a healthy home that makes you one with the world around you.” This is aided by the seamless performance, movement and coordination of a sophisticated building with high-functioning, integrated services and technology. “There is nothing jarring about this place, everything is working together and coexisting together,” Chris explains. Kathryn concludes, “we definitely weren’t lazy about it!”
Terra Firma House reveals Robson Rak’s commitment to designing spaces that provide a sense of retreat, warmth and wellbeing – spaces that are easy to maintain for years to come in the same way that they effortlessly nourish the lives of the inhabitants living within. The end result is a home that is also an escape, where comfort meets nature and where artistry meets function.
